Everyone deserves to be safe in their own home and community.
The NSW Government is listening to community concerns about youth crime – especially in rural and regional NSW.
We are taking steps to make communities safer and support young people.
The NSW Government is working side-by-side with local communities, councils and organisations on the ground. It is a complex issue and will take time.
There is still lots to do, but we are seeing positive signs.
Learn more about the NSW Government’s place-based responses to regional youth crime in the below four areas.
The NSW Government is committed to keeping communities safe and strong.
- $23 million total to be split across place-based responses in Moree, Tamworth and Kempsey, bail support for young people, and a new $5 million Community Safety Investment Fund
- A coordinated response with local communities in Walgett, Brewarrina, Bourke and Coonamble to develop short and long-term measures to improve community safety including each council receiving $80,000 grants for the 2025/26 summer season
- $15.6 million partnership with PCYC to deliver programs for regional youth across NSW over 4 years
- Tougher bail laws for repeat offenders
- A ‘post and boast’ offence targeting online glorification of crime
- Legal reforms following the independent Doli Incapax review giving courts clearer rules for deciding if a child aged 10 to 13 understood their actions were seriously wrong
- Giving NSW Police and courts more tools to intervene earlier – before offending gets more serious
- $26.2 million community safety package, including a targeted response in Moree
- $5.5 million for youth diversion and violence reduction programs
- More than $100 million in additional youth justice funding in the 2024-25 budget
- Paid police recruits to boost frontline numbers
- Stronger knife laws under Jack’s Law
- Ongoing NSW Police Force efforts under Operation Soteria and Operation Regional Mongoose.
The NSW Government established a new Community Safety Investment Fund in November 2025.
The $5 million fund supports community organisations to design and deliver local, community led projects to:
- prevent or respond to youth offending
- strengthen families
- improve community safety.
The grants focus on young people aged 10 to 17 years involved with or at risk of involvement with the justice system, their families and the broader community.
The fund was open to community and non-government organisations across NSW from November 2025 to January 2026. The applications are now being assessed. Announcement of the successful applicants is expected soon.
There were two available grants. Learn more:
The NSW Government and the Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) are investing $15.6 million to deliver life-changing opportunities for young people living in regional and remote NSW.
PCYC NSW will deliver 278 programs across regional NSW over the next 4 years.
Further announcements about the new youth program locations will be made soon.
You can read about PCYC youth programs on their website.
- 27 November 2025 – Minns Labor Government passes reforms strengthening responses to youth crime
- 27 November 2025 – NSW Government acknowledges BOCSAR report showing NSW crime rates among nation’s lowest with more work to do
- 18 November 2025 – Minns Labor Government to strengthen doli incapax test, bolster diversionary programs in youth crime reform package
- 16 November 2025 – $15.6 million partnership with PCYC to build stronger futures for regional youth
- 7 November 2025 – NSW Government invests $23 million to tackle youth crime and build safer regional communities
- 25 October 2025 – Release of review into doli incapax test for children under 14
- 8 May 2025 – Review of doli incapax for young offenders under 14
- 12 February 2025 – Local knowledge vital to addressing regional crime | NSW Government
- 16 August 2024 – More after-hours activities and support for young people in Moree
- 12 March 2024 – NSW Government takes action to make communities safer and support young people in regions